Storage rack



E. IRISH June 18, 1968 STORAGE RACK 3 Sheets-Sheet 1 Filed June 15, 1966 INVENTOR ELWOOD IRISH Mug ATTORNEYS June 18, 1968 Filed June 15, 1966 Fig.3

5 lllllm i L 1. |I"' "1" I 5. IRISH 3,388,809

STORAGE RACK 3 Sheets-Sheet 2 FIGIZ FIGI I llnhfr INVENTOR ELWOOD IRISH 8 ATIORNEYSI June 18, 1968 v E. IRISH 3,388,809

v STORAGE RACK Filed June 15, 1966 3 SheetS- -Sheet 3 INVENTOR ELWOQD IRISH United States Patent 3,388,809 STORAGE RACK Elwood Irish, Wayne, Mich, assignor to Unistrut Corporation, Wayne, Mich., a corporation of Michigan Filed June 15, 1966, Ser. No. 557,814 Claims. (Cl. 211-176) ABSTRACT OF THE DISCLOSURE A storage rack especially suitable for supporting garment hangers or the like and including upright channel support members, bracket members adjustably mounted to the support members and in turn supporting rod or tubular members for holding the garment hangers. The bracket members are formed to permit the hangers to be slid off the ends of the rods Without encountering an obstruction and the means for adjustably mounting the bracket members to the support members includes a connector having a pair of spaced lugs and an aperture therebetween with the lugs adapted to register in apertures in the support member and the aperture in the connector receiving a bolt to lock each of the bracket members in the desired position.

The present invention relates in general to storage racks and more specifically to storage racks including upright channel support members in combination with rack brackets and connectors permitting rapid erection and modification of a storage rack assembly.

In addition, the present invention provides for a storage rack assembly particularly well adapted for storing and displaying clothes and garments and having provision for shelving.

The present invention, consequently, has among its objects to provide a storage rack assembly, for the storage and display of clothes or garments, which utilizes a few numbers of standard and easily assembled parts.

Another object of the present invention is to provide such a storage rack including the added feature of using the storage rack brackets as a means for supporting shelving.

A further object of the present invention is to provide a storage rack which can be easily modified and expanded through the use of a few standard channel and strut members, connectors, brackets and rods, according to a building block principle.

A further object of the invention is to provide a storage rack of the character indicated that provides steady, although adjustable, connections between the bracket members and the upright channel support members.

Other objects and advantages of the invention will become apparent to those skilled in the art when the following description is considered in conjunction with the accompanying drawings in which:

FIG. 1 is a schematic side elevation view of an example of a storage rack according to the invention;

FIG. 2 is a top plan view of the storage rack of FIG. 1, as seen from line 22 thereof;

FIG. 3 is an elevation view of a bracket member of the storage rack of FIGS. 1-2, as seen from line 33 of FIG. 2;

FIG. 4 is a view from line 4--4 of FIG. 3;

FIG. 5 is a detailed view, from line 55 of FIG. 3, with portions broken away for the sake of clarity;

FIG. 6 is a perspective view of the bracket member of FIG. 3;

FIG. 7 is a perspective view of a modification of the bracket of the invention;

FIG. 8 is another perspective view of another modification;

3,388,839 Patented June 18, 1968 FIG. 9 is an elevation view of a further modified bracket according to the invention;

FIG. 10 is a perspective view of the bracket of FIG. 9;

FIG. 11 is a front elevation view of an example of a connector according to the present invention;

FIG. 12 is a side elevation view thereof, as seen from line 1212 of FIG. 11; and

FIG. 13 is a top plan view, as seen from line 1313 of FIG. 11.

As shown in FIGS. 16, a storage rack assembly according to one aspect of the present invention comprises a plurality of upright channel support members or posts 10 disposed substantially in a regular fashion and in parallel relationship to each other, and anchored to a floor 12 by any convenient means such as anchoring means shown at 14. Each upright channel member 10 supports a plurality of bracket members designated generally at 16, at least one of which is adjustably mounted on each upright channel member by means such as connector 18. On at least one end of each bracket is mounted a continuous tubular member 26, as will be hereinafter explained in further detail.

As best seen in FIGS. 2-6, each support bracket member 16 comprises a substantially horizontal fiat portion 22 and a vertically disposed flange portion 24 substantially at right angle with the horizontal portion, thus forming a substantially L-shaped member, Both ends of the horizontal portion 22 of each support bracket member 16 has a downwardly turned projection 26 connected to an integral outwardly projecting portion 28 by an elbow like portion 30. Integral with the upwardly bent projection portion 28 is an arcuate projecting portion 32 adapted to accept on the upper surface thereof a tubular member 20 afiixed thereon by means such as screws 34 passing through apertures 36.

Pr-oximate the center of each bracket member 16, and separated by a distance at least slightly larger than the width of each upright channel member 10, may be arranged means for supporting additional tubular members, as shown at 20, such means consisting preferably of a pair of cutout upwardly bent tongues 38 having a space therebetween adapted to receive the body of each tubular member 20, the horizontal portion 22 of the bracket being further provided with aperture 40 adapted to accept means such as screws 42 for fastening the tubular members 20 in appropriate position.

It is evident that the storage rack assembly of FIGS. 1-4 may consist of several levels of storage elements as defined by the assembly of an individual bracket member 16 and the associated tubular members 20 and 20', the brackets 16 on one level being mounted on consecutive upright channel members 10 substantially parallel to each other, and each bracket member in the next consecutive level being substantially at equidistant distance from the bracket member in the preceding level mounted on the same upright channel member. The tubular members 20 and 26' are adapted to accept cloth or garment hangers such as shown at 44, and the particular configuration of the projecting end of each bracket member formed by downwardly projecting portion 26, elbow 30 and upwardly projecting integral portion 28 affords clearance for the end of the support wire loop 46 of the hangers 44, so that each hanger can be slid end to end of the tubular member 20, if necessary, without the wire loop 46 encountering any obstruction. In order to provide storage space facilities for miscellaneous goods, shelves such as 48 may be disposed upon the top of the tubular members 20 and 26' where so required.

The connection between each upright support channel member 10 and each bracket member 16 is efiected preferably by means of a connector such as connector 18, which is shown in detail in FIGS. 11-13, and which is shown in combination with the upright channel and horizontal bracket members in FIGS. 1-6, with particular reference to FIG. 5, and in FIGS. 9 and 10. Each connector 18, as best seen in FIGS. 11-13, comprises a substantially flat portion or plate 50 having a substantially centrally located round aperture 52, and two symmetrically disopsed outwardly projecting coined lugs 54, arranged according to the principles well known to those skilled in the art familiar with the Unistrut structural system. Connector 18 is further provided with gussetlike extensions 56 and 58, having a bottom wall 59 disposed in the same plane as plate 50, the gusset-like extensions each having symmetrically disposed integral projecting side members 66 and 62, bent substantially at right angles with respect to the plane of plate 50 and bottom wall 59 and equidistant from each other in a spatial relationship designed to normally embrace the sidewalls of the upright U-channel members 10.

As shown best in FIGS. 2, and 6 each upright U- channel member 10, as is well known to those familiar with the Unistrut system, comprises an end wall 64 forming with two symmetrically disposed integral sidewalls 66 an open box structural strut of high rigidity, strength and of light weight. The end of each sidewall 66 is inwardly turned at right angle as shown at 68, and the edge is once more turned in at right angle as shown at 70, thus forming between each side wall inner surface and the inwardly turned edge 70 a continuous groove as shown at 72.

As more clearly illustrated in FIGS. 2 and 5, each bracket member 16 has, substantially at the center thereof, an aperture '74 through the upright flange 24, and two symmetrically disposed apertures 76 adapted to accept the projecting lugs 54 of connector 18. Bracket members 16 are thus mounted upon the upright channel members each by means of a connector 18, with projecting coined lugs 54 engaging apertures 76 of the bracket flange 24, as shown in detail in FIG. 5, and a bolt 78 is passed through aligned apertures 74 in the vertical flange 24 of the bracket member and 52 in the connector, the threaded end 80 of the bolt being adapted to thread into the tapped bore 82 of a square nut 84 placed within the 'U-channel member 10, the nut 84 having grooves such as 86 and 88 adapted to engage the edges of the inwardly turned portions 70 of the sidewalls 66 of the U-channel member 10. A spring member 88 disposed behind each nut 84 normal- 1y holds the nut with its grooves 86 in engagement with the edges of the channel, in the manner disclosed more particularly in US. Patent 2,696,139, issued Dec. 7, 1954, in the name of Charles W. Attwood.

Through the above described means of connecting each bracket member 16 with its associated upright channel support member 10 by means of connector 18, projecting members 60 and 62 of the connector being adapted to embrace the exterior of sidewalls 66 of the upright channel member, it is possible to slide each connector up and down along each channel to any appropriate position and to clamp and fixedly connect each bracket member to the upright channel member by tightening bolt 78. Projecting lugs 54 engaging openings 76 in the flange portion 24 of each bracket member, in combina tion with the projecting portions 60 and 62 of the connector embracing the exterior of the sidewalls 66 of the upright channel member insure a perfect connection between the elements with the bracket member axis substantially at right angle to the axis of the upright channel member, thus permitting a strong connection between the elements in a correct position by means of only one bolt and nut.

When it is desired to have a support bracket member extending only in one direction from an upright support member 10, instead of a bracket member extending in both directions therefrom as hereinafter explained, a bracket member as illustrated in FIG. 7 or 8 may be used. Bracket member 16, shown in FIG. 7, is

in every point similar to bracket member 16 precedently described, and is actually the equivalent of such a bracket member being cut in half substantially at its center. In the configuration shown in FIG. 7 the upright flange 24 of bracket member 16 is welded to a substantially U-shaped gusset member 90, as shown at 92, and the welded assembly is provided with a mounting aperture 93 allowing passage for the threaded body of a mounting bolt for the purpose of mounting the bracket member to an upright U-channel member in a manner substantially similar to the one illustrated at FIG. 5, with the sidewalls 94 of the mounting gusset embracing the exterior of the sidewalls 66 of the upright U-channel member 10. FIG. 8 illustrates a symmetrical arrangement, wherein the bracket 16" is arranged to extend in a direction opposite to the direction in which the bracket 16 of FIG. 7 is extended. It is evident that the mounting gusset 90 of FIGS. 7 and 8 can also be used with the other bracket member embodiments illustrated and described with respect to the present invention and that a connector 18 as hereinbefore described in detail can be used in combination with the brackets 16' and 16" of FIGS. 7 and 8 respectively, on the condition that the flange portion 24 of the bracket member be provided with apertures adapted to register with and accept the projecting coined lugs 54 of the connector, and with a mounting hole adapted to be aligned with the round aperture 52 in the connector.

FIGS. 9 and 10 represent a further modification of the bracket members heretofore described. Each bracket member, as shown, comprises an L-shaped bracket member 16a, having a horizontally disp'osed flat portion 22 and an integral bent-down vertically disposed flange portion 2'4. Each ends of the horizontal portion '22 of the bracket member is provided with a downwardly turned portion 96 having at the bottom thereof an integral arcuate substantially U-shaped portion 98 ending with a second horizontally arcuate portion 100 adapted to accept tubular members such as 20 affixed thereon by means such as screws 3'4 passing through apertures 36 in the arcuate end portion 3 2. In this manner, a clothes or garment hanger 44 having a support wire hook 46 adapted to be hooked over the tubular member 20 can he slid to any position along the tubular member without encountering any obstruction due to the end of the support bracket. The brackets of FIGS. 9 and 1-0 have been shown mounted on the upright channel members 10 by means of connectors 18, in a manner entirely similar to the manner herein previously described in detail, and it is evident that shelving or platforms for storage of miscellaneous goods may be disposed directly upon the upper surface of the bracket member horizontal portion 2-2 as shown at 48 without causing interference with the hanger hooks.

Having thus described the present invention, by way of several illustrative examples incorporating the principles, modifications of which will be apparent to those skilled in the art, what is sought to be protected by US. Letters Patent is:

1. A storage rack assembly comprising:

vertically disposed fioor anchored posts substantially regularly and parallel arrayed;

each one of said posts being a substantially U-shap'ed channel member having an end wall and two 0pposed sidewalls each provided with an inwardly doubly bent edge;

at least one substantially horizontally disposed bracket member clamped on each one of said posts at a predetermined distance from the floor;

each bracket member comprising essentially an L- shaped member having a substantially horizontal portion and an integral substantially vertical flange portion adapted for clamping to a portion of said post, horizontally disposed portion of each said bracket member having at least one end provided with a projection;

at least one rod attached to said projection of each said bracket, said rod being adapted to support garment hangers and the like; and

connecting means for connecting each said bracket member to each said post.

2. The storage assembly of claim 1 wherein each bracket member has a projection on each end thereof and a rod is attached to each said projection.

6. The storage assembly of claim -1 wherein said connecting means comprises:

a U-shaped channel gusset having a bottom wall mounted on the outer side of the vertical flange portion of the bracket member and a pair of sidewall-s adapted to surround and embrace the opposed sidewalls of said U-shaped channel post;

a mounting bolt passing through aligned apertures in said vertical portion of the bracket and the bottom wall of said gusset;

a nut in the U-shaped channel post cooperating with said bolt, said nut having a face disposed toward the inwardly turned edges of the side walls of said post and provided with a groove adapted to engage each of said edges; and

a spring disposed between the other face of said nut and the bottom wall of the post for constantly urging said nut in engagement with said edges.

4. The storage assembly of claim 3 wherein said gusset comprises:

a flat portion provided integral with said bottom wall, said fiat portion having an aperture and a pair of outwardly projecting coined lugs symmetrically disposed on both sides of said aperture.

'5. The storage rack assembly of claim '1 wherein said projection on the end of said bracket member forms a downward arcuate bend defining a clearance for sliding of said garment hanger past said projection without causing interference therebetween and the hooks of said hangers.

6. The storage rack assembly of claim 1 wherein a storage platform is disposed on the top of the horizontal portion of said bracket member.

7. The storage rack assembly of claim 1 wherein means are provided on each said bracket member for attachment of at least one rod at a predetermined position intermediate the ends of said bracket member.

8. The storage rack assembly of claim 7 further wherein a storage platform is disposed above said rods in engagement therewith.

9. A connector for use in assembling a first structural member having a fiat portion provided with a mounting aperture and two symmetrically disposed apertures on either side of said mounting aperture with a U-channel second structural member having an open side provided with doubly inwardly bent edge portions, said connector comprising:

a substantially flat portion having an aperture adapted to register with the mounting aperture in said first structural member and two outwardly projecting coined lugs symmetric-ally disposed on either side of said aperture and adapted to engage the symmetrically disposed apertures in the flat portion of said first structural member;

at least one projecting portion substantially coplanar with said flat portion of said connector;

said projecting portion being provided with projecting integral bifurcated substantially parallel flange portions adapted to embrace the extension of the sidewalls of said second structural member.

10. The connector of claim 9 wherein the planes of said flange portions are substantially perpendicular to an imaginary line connecting the centers of said coined lugs.

References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 349,938 9/1886 Hendrix 211- 176 XR 1,410,740 3/1922 Elgin 211182 XR 1,801,993 4/ 1931 Beckwith 211l82 XR 2,345,650 4/1944 Attwood 2l1182 XR 2,784,812 3/1957 Kindorf 2l1182 XR FOREIGN PATENTS 1,273,980 9/1961 France.

ROY D. FRAZIER, Primary Examiner.

WILLIAM D. LOULAN, Assistant Examiner. 

